Ironing machine



May 10. 1927 A. M. RA'SMUSSEN IRONING MACHINE Filed Juno 4. 1926 4 Shuts-Sheet 1 1 1927' A. M. RASMUSSEN moume momma Filed Juno 4. 1926- 4 shoots-Shut 2 .Imrmfi? Q9 who 7% v 1,627 74? A.M.ASM1JSSEN zaduma macaw:

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A. M. RASMUSSEN IRONING MACHINE Fiied June 4. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 10, 1927.

UNIT-En STATES ANTON u. msxusann, or; nocxronn, rumors.

Inonmc momma.

Application filed June 4,

This invention relates to ironing machines of the mangle type; t Y

One of the'principal objects is to provide,- in connection with an ironing-roll -in a ma chine of the type mentioned, a plurality of padded rolls for feeding the work in contact with the ironing roll, there being a provision for driving one of the feed gl'OllS atxa slower peripheral speed than the others to create a drawing effect on the material being ironed and produce a glossy finish.-

Another importantobject is to providea machine of the type mentioned having-an electrically heated and driven ironing roll of an open end type, that is, supported and driven at only one end, thus afi'ording a wider range of possible uses for the machine and' making the entire area of the ironingsurface available for use.

Still another-important object of the invention is the provision of a guard which positively eliminates the danger of getting fingers caught between the rolls, the guard being arranged to control'the electric circuit of-the driving motor furnishing the power to turn the ironing roll so that the machine is thrown out of operation the instant there would otherwise be danger of the operators fingers comingbetween the rolls, while the guard also affords a convenient means for starting and stopping themachine at the will of the operator without the necessity of using the starting switch. In addition to this safety feature. the invention provides a means hereinafter described for instantly releasing the feed rolls from operative relation to the ironingroll by the operation of a treadle within convenient reach at any point along the front of'the machine.

The invention is described in more complete detail inthefollowing specification, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment in which- Figure 1 is a front view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is an end view taken from the right hand end of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a View {taken from the opposite end of the machine; Fig. 4 is a top view of 1:; and

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the ironing roll and the mounting thereof.

The same reference numerals are appliedtov corresponding parts throughout the views.

1926. Serial '10. 113,588.

The machine illustrated-has a frame composed of end uprights 6 and 7 on a base 8 suitably braced by cross-members 9. Anironing roll 10 of the open end type is supported at only one end on the u right 6 in a manner illustrated in Fig. 5. This type of roll offers many advantages over the closed end type and'makes it possible to iron pieces which would otherwiseibe too wide for the machine. \Vhile the construction and the mounting of the roll may be varied to a considerable extent, I have chosen to select for the purposes of illustration a mounting, as shown in Fig. 5, comprising a journal 11' ieceived in a healing 12 provided in the upright 6. The journal 6 constitutes a hub onto which the parts of theroll 10 are assembled; Thus an inner shell 13 of one or two pieces. has a tapered bore to fit on the tapered end 14 of the journal 11 and thereby become centered with respect to the'outer shell 15. The outer shell is supported on a ledge 16 provided on an end plate 17 which in turn is mounted on a ledge 18 on the journal 11. A.cap 19 for the other end of the roll 10 is received in the countersunk end 20 of the outer shell 15 and has a tapered boss 21 to be received within the end of the inner shell 13, thus centering the shells 13 and 15 with respect to one another. A standard is provided in the form of a rod 22 threading at one end in the journal 11 and receiving a nut 23 at its other end to hold the parts in assembled condition. An annular coil chamber 24 is provided between the shells 13 and 15 for the heating units 25, there being suit- "able insulation therefor, as shown at 26.

Lead-ins 27 for the heating units extend to terminals 28 on the outside of the journal 11. The-currentfor the heating units is supplied in the rotation of the roll 10 in a manner similar to that shown in my Patent No. 1,481,225, dated January 15, 1924. Briefly stated, I provide two conducting rings .29-

. and 30-each of which is associated with a separate trolley wheel 31 associated with one of the terminals 28. The conducting rings 29'an'd 30 are in turn associated with the wires 32 and 33 respectively leading'to the source of electric current. The roll 10 is arranged to be driven by the turning of the journal 11 with a worm gear 34 preferably formed integral with the journal. The gear 34 meshes with a worm 35 on the armatureshaft of a motor 36 supported on a bracket,

. worm gear 34 together afford thrust bearings of ample radius with respect to the A journal 11 on opposite sides of the upright 6.

It will be obvious that any suitable antifriction bearing elements may be interposed in the journal bearing and in the thrust bearings if so desired. The lubrication of v these hearings is herein illustrated as accomplished through the oil ducts 38-.

The ironing roll 10 has spur gear-teeth 39 formed on the periphery of the outer shell 15 thereof adjacent the end plate 17, as shown in Fig. 5. A plurality of padded rolls 40, preferably three, are disposed about the ironing roll, asshown in Fig. 2, the first roll, designated A, being at the top of the roll 10 and the other two, designated B and C, respectively being advanced approximately 45 and -90" with respect thereto around. the back of the roll. Rolls B and C I are provided with gears 41 on the end thereof meshing with the gear teeth 39 so that these two rolls are driven atapproximately the same peripheral speed as the ironing roll 10. A supporting frame 42 is provided for the three rolls ,and, as will presently appear, is arranged for movement to carry the rolls simultaneously into or out of opera-- tive relation, to the ironing roll. The roll designated B is provided with a spur gear 43 on the end thereof opposite the gear 41..

The roll designated A carries agear 44 which, it will be seen on comparison in Fig. 2, is approximately one and one-half times as large as the gear 43, the purpose being to provide a ratio of about two to three be-' tween the gears 43 and 44 so that when the roll A is driven from the roll B bythe meshing of the intermediate idler gear 45 with the gear 44, the roll A will be turned at a somewhat slower peripheral speed and thus create a drawing eifect on the-material being ironed. The rolls B and C will thus be caused to slide relative to the work as they are turning at a faster peripheral speed than the lineal speed of the material. This, as is well known, will produce a glossy finish, which is desired on certain kinds of work. The gear 45 is in constant mesh with the gear 43 and is arranged to be thrown into mesh with the gear 44 at the will of the operator as in the case of a shiftable back gear on a lathe or the like. The gear 45 is, therefore, mounted on a shiftable hand lever 46 within convenient reach of the operator standlng at the front of the machine. The lever 46 is preferably provided with a spring The work is fed to the machine over a table 49 at the front of the machine mounted ona bracket. 50 supported on the upright 6. The work leaves the machine over a shelf 51 supported by brackets 52 on the uprights 6 and 7. The shelf 51 extends beneath the ironing roll and has the inner end portion thereof curved upwardly around the back of the roll, as shown at 53, to provide a chute for guiding the work as it leaves the roll designated C forwardly over the shelf '51.

There is, therefore, no opportunity for the work to become fouled with any part of the machine. I The table 49, as shown in Fig. 2, terminates in front of the point where the work enters between the ironing roll and the 35 first padded roll designated A. A guard or shield 54 is pivotally mounted on the frame 42 at 55 and disposed across the entire front of the roll A so that the work has to pass beneath it into the machine. A lug 56 projects from the top of the guard 54 and carries a contact terminal 57 connected in series with the starting switch for the motor 36. A'lug 58 projecting from the frame 42 bears another contact terminal 59 normally engaging with the contact 57 to-complete the circuit through the motor 36. The circuit is broken by' pressure against the guard 54 against the action of coiled compression springs 60 disposed about a rod 61 and acting between the rod and the lugs 56'and 58 to keep the contacts 57 and 59 normally closed. The guard, therefore, yields only under appreciable pressure such as might be occasioned byv the operator unconsciously moving his hands in too close to the rolls in smoothing out the work. The moment theguard is moved in the manner stated the machine is stopped. The guard, therefore,

provides for the safety of the operator and .it is impossible to get his fingers near the danger zone without bringing the machine to a standstill. The guard may also be used as a convenient means for starting and stopping the machine without touching the starting switch.

Another safety feature is provided by en-. abling the operator to instantly release the padded rolls from operative relation to the ironing roll in the event anything becomes 12o caught between the rolls. A treadle 62 pi voted at 63 extends across the front of the machine to be within easy reach to the operator at any time. A link 64 joined to the treadlc 62 is connected with the intermediate pivoted at 71 to a rocking lever 72. The

latter is arranged to oscillate a shaft 73 received in bearingsprovided on brackets 74 mounted on the uprights 6 and 7. A pa1r of arms 75 support the frame 42 and are arranged to rock with the lever 72 in the oscillation of the shaft. The link 67 is slidable within the yoke 70, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 to the extent permitted by the lost motion connection 69. A compresslon spring 76' acting between the yoke.70 and a shoulder on the link 67 yieldingly holds the parts in the relative position shown in Fig. 2. In the event any impediment is fed between the rolls as, for example, buckles or such an extent as to be held with a light pressure against the ironing roll. Due to the counter-balancing springs 77, only a very light foot pressure is required on the treadle 62 to elevate the padded rolls out of operative position. Furthermore, the counterbalancing springs hold the padded rolls in substantially floating relation to the ironing roll so that they will yield readily and prevent the breakage of buttons and avoid any possible jamming of the machine.

It is believed that the foregoing description aifords a clear understanding of the invention as expressed in the objects prefaced .above and while I have illustrated but a single embodiment, it should be understood that various changes might be made in details without sacrificing the more important advantages derived by the present construcl'lOl'l. Such modifications are to be considered as embraced within the spirit and scope of the lnvention as expressed in the arranged to operate at about the same peripheral speed as the ironing roll but havmg pIOVlSlOIl for a dlsengageable drive connect-ion with the power source to be driven at lower peripheral speed when desired.

I In an ironing machine, an ironing roll, a plurality of feed rolls disposed alongside the same in advance of one another serving to feed the work in contact with the ironing roll, a gearing connection between the second to the last roll and said ironing roll for turning said roll at about the same peripheral speed as the ironing roll, a gear for driving the last roll, a smallergear turning with the second to the last roll, a shiftable idler gear to connect the two last mentioned gears, and a hand lever carrying said shiftable gear.

3. In a machine as set forth in claim 2, the provision of means for releasably holding the hand lever in adjusted position.

4. In an ironing machine, a rotating iron ing roll, a work table over which work is. fed to said roll, a first feed roll normally operating idly at about the same peripheral speed as the ironing roll to hold the work in contact therewith, a second feed roll in advance of the first feed roll, means to drive the latter always at the same peripheral speed as the ironing roll, and means for selectively drivingthe first roll at a slower speed.

5. In an ironing machine, an ironing roll, a plurality of feed rolls alongside the same normally operating substantially in contact therewith, a movable support for said feed rolls whereby the same may be removed together out of operative relation to said ironing roll', said rolls with said support tending normally to move toward said ironing roll under the action of gravity, counter-balancing spring means for said support and the rolls carried thereby arranged normally to allow the rolls to assume their operative positions, and operator operated means arranged to supplement the force exerted by said counter-balancing means whereby to raise said rolls with their support out of operative position.

6. In an ironing machine, an ironing roll, a plurality offeed rolls alongside the same normally operating substantially in contact therewith, a movable support for said feed rolls whereby the same may be removed together out of operative relation to said ironing roll, a rocking frame bearng said support on one side of its pivotal mounting arranged normally to rock one way by the weight of said support and the rolls carried thereby to bring the rolls into operative position, operator operated means connected with said frame on the other side of its pivotal mounting to move said rolls with their support out of operative position, and counter-balancing spring means connected with said rocking frame on the same side of the pivotal mounting thereof as said operator operated means serving normally to allow the rolls to move toward the ironing roll under light pressure.

7. In an ironing machine, an ironing roll,

a plurality of feed rolls alongside the same normally operating substantially in contact therewith, a movable support for sald 'feed rolls whereby the same may be removed to- 'gether out of operative relation to said ironing roll, a rocking frame bearing sa d support on one side of its pivotal mounting arranged normally to rock one way by the weight-of said support and the rolls carried thereby to bring the rolls into operative position, and operiflor operated means connect ed with said fr e on the other side of its pivotal mounting to move said rolls .with

theirsupport out of operative position, com- 7 prising a pair of toggle links pivotally con? nected at one end to a stationary support and at the opposite end to said rocking-frame, a

treadle, and a link connection between said treadle and the intermediate pivot of said toggle.

8. In an ironing machine, an ironing roll.

. a plurality of feed rolls alongside the same normally operating substantially in contact therewith, a movable support for said feed rolls whe reby the same may be removed together out of operative relation to said ironing roll, a rocking frame bearing said support on one-.side of ite pivotal mounting aring-.tOImoVe-sa'id rolls wi h their ppo .outof operative position,-.comprising a pair 7 off-toggle links having pivota1- connection at one end to a' stationary, support and having -a lost motion pivotal connection atjthepthei' -,end with said rocking frame; spring" means I'acting between the toggle link andsaidrocking frame normally taking up the loslt "mo tion at said pivotal connection, and an opera- ;tor operated element having connection with the intermediate pivot of said toggle.

Y 9. In an ironing machine thecombination of a frame and an ironing roll having *a journal portion at only one endthereofre- 'ceived in' a bearing in said frame "thereby leaving the other end o t the roll free,-bearing means at the supported end-'of the roll assuming the thrust against opposite. sides of said frame adjacent the journal bearing; and gear teeth on the periphery=of one of said last mentioned bearing elements; for

rotating the journal and with it the ironing roll carried thereby.

In witness of the foregoing I. aflix .my

signature.

v ANTON M. RASMUSSEN. 

